Need broody help QUICK pls! :/

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

I have two broodies already sitting and one is in a dogs crate seperate from my other bc my other was a bully to her last time BUT her food and water is where the others can get too and one of my other girls seems like she's going Broody too (I only have 6 girls!!!! How did this happen?! Lol) BUT she's trying to steal her nest whiles she's off dust bathing!

Im just worried about them arguing later about the nest and getting a broke egg...there shipped eggs I REALLY want to hatch even though I only gave her 3

My "other" Nest stealer though is doing the typical broody shuffling them under her but NOT puffing up or causing a racket so is she JUST going broody or confused?! Shes doing the CUTEST thing and "building the nest" up though throwing more stuffing on the eggs trying to get it right, UGH! Now am I going to have to sit out there all day and try and make sure there a) sat on correctly and b) not arguing with each other?! IDK what to do????

 

[sourland]

Close the dog crate and allow the broody hen the option of leaving several times a day, or use some wire and build a small enclosure around the crate to exclude the other hens.

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

Thanks, I went back out and checked and the "real" momma got back in and is on eggs...so weird that my other girl was decorating her area and building her nest up for her?! She did lay an egg in there so I don't want the risk of breaking my eggs setting so I shut her in there with some food and will give her the option of getting out for some water a few times a day...last time when I put a small thing of water in there she knocked it over and made everything a mess so this will have to work for now...Tks!

 

[sourland]

You will want to make sure that she leaves the nest daily so that she does not defecate on the eggs.

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

Oh yea, I give her a break in the am and at night and check on her during my youngest NAPtime so she has plenty of options of leaving it's a pretty big dog carrier anyways but she likes her dust bathing and is good about going right back in!

 

[fisherlady]

Thanks, I went back out and checked and the "real" momma got back in and is on eggs...so weird that my other girl was decorating her area and building her nest up for her?! She did lay an egg in there so I don't want the risk of breaking my eggs setting so I shut her in there with some food and will give her the option of getting out for some water a few times a day...last time when I put a small thing of water in there she knocked it over and made everything a mess so this will have to work for now...Tks!

We had a sick hen in our 'first aid' cage that would also knock over her water container. We got a 1 qt waterer and placed it in a corner and used thin wire to create a loop around it which we just attached to a few wires on the cage. We placed the wire loop around the bottle not quite halfway down it. The hen still bumped into it, and messed with it a bit, but she was no longer able to spill it. We also used a plastic double cat dish to provide food and treats to her. We placed the food dish up on a brick to elevate it and prevent her messing in it or walking in it and spilling it. If you are really tight on space you could probably use the plastic cat dish for both food and water, just make sure to elevate it on a brick or piece of scrap wood and check the water a couple times a day to make sure she didn't spill it (can be done when you get her out for exercise and broody poos)

 

[fisherlady]

Also... I have heard of another option, though never done it myself....
some folks have used gerbil type waterers when they keep birds in cages for whatever reason. Hens are pretty smart and quick to learn new things, you may be able to use that type of water dispenser to for them with a few practice runs for them to learn how they work.

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

Ive heard of that too! I might stop and try and get one of those waterers and see if she might take to it! It would eliminate a lot of worry if it worked! We've got a good amount of space, just not a good amount of closed off space although we do have two big dog runs I could fit cage in maybe but I'm afraid to move the whole thing now? I wonder if it would disturb her...I might try the other water ideas first and then go from there...tku! Great tips!

 

[fisherlady]

Ive heard of that too! I might stop and try and get one of those waterers and see if she might take to it! It would eliminate a lot of worry if it worked! We've got a good amount of space, just not a good amount of closed off space although we do have two big dog runs I could fit cage in maybe but I'm afraid to move the whole thing now? I wonder if it would disturb her...I might try the other water ideas first and then go from there...tku! Great tips!

If you aren't too short on space then grab a roll of chicken wire (3ft should work) and create a closed off area in a quiet corner, simply make a large loop out of the wire and cover it with a couple pieces of wire. Get an old lighweight sheet and cover most of the area. Make a nice cushy nesting area with lots of straw or bedding for the broody to play with and place 3 or 4 white golf balls in the nest. Add the 'wanna be' broody into the area and allow her to play nest if she wants. Leave it open somwhere so she can come and go while she decides. If she really wants to sit hopefully she will decide to use this space and then you can swap out her golf balls for real eggs. Even if she doesn't decide to sit for real it may give her somewhere to 'play broody' enough that she will hopefully quit bothering the real broodies.

 

[Heidisgran]

I'm very new to hatching anything but I had a broody hen sitting so I let her...then another hen went broody...when it was getting close to time my husband built a wonderful nursery out of a dog house...with a little yard...well we put both hens with they're eggs in there but tragedy when we got the first pip the hen whose eggs weren't as far along started opening the hatching egg ...I tried to get it away but she snatch the shell off the baby and it bleed to death...I will always and forever only let one in the nursery at a time~